Fuel feed devices for internal combustion engines

ABSTRACT

A fuel feed device for internal combustion engines has a main throttle operated by the driver and an auxiliary throttle which opens automatically and progressively as the air flow rate in the induction pipe increases. A pressurized liquid fuel injection means is located in the pipe downstream of the main throttle and controlled by an electromagnetic valve. A flat, opaque disc containing one or more ports is mounted on a shaft rotated by the engine. The ports pass a light beam between a light source and a photocell mounted on a displaceable common support coupled to the auxiliary throttle. When illuminated the cell energizes the electromagnetic valve. Each port has a spring-urged lever mounted adjacent to it so as to mask or expose part of the port, according to the centrifugal force due to the speed of the disc and hence of the engine. The shape of the port and displacement of the support are arranged so that more light passes, hence more current flows and the fuel flow is reduced or eliminated on deceleration of the engine. The levers are of sheet-metal pivoted between their center of gravity and their masking nose.

United States Patent Mennesson [54] FUEL FEED DEVICES'FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINES [72] Inventor: Andr L. Mennesson, Neuilly-sur- Seine, France [73] Assignee: Societe Industrielle de Brevets et Etudes S.I.'B.E., Neuilly-sur-Seine,

France [22] Filed: March 26, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 128,512

Related us. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 883,561, Dec. 9,

1969, abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [58] Field of Search..123/32 EA, 32 AE,119 R, 97 B, 123/139 AW, 102

[56] References Cited.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,404,667 10/1968 Mennesson ..123/139 AW [4 1 Aug. 15, 1972 3,455,260 7/1969 Mennesson ...123/97B 3,460,814 8/1969 O'Neill ..123/97B Primary Examiner-Weldell E. Burns Attorney-Fleit, Gipple & Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A fuel feed device for internal combustion engines a main throttle operated by the driver and an auxiliary throttle which opens automatically and progressively beam between a light source and a photocell mounted on a displaceable common support coupled to the auxiliary throttle. When illuminated the cell energizes the electromagnetic valve. Each port has a springurged lever mounted adjacent to it so as to mask or expose part of the port, according to the centrifugal force due to the speed of the disc and hence of the engine. The shape of the port and displacement of the support are arranged so that more light passes, hence more current flows and the fuel flow is reduced or eliminated on deceleration of the engine. The levers are of sheet-metal pivoted between" their center of gravity and their masking nose.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures menu-mus 15 I912 SHEET 2 [IF 2 INVENTOR ANDRE LOUIS MENN ESSON FUEL FEED DEVICES FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES This application is a continuation of application No. 883,561 filed Dec. 9, 1969, now abandoned.

The invention relates to fuel feed devices for internal combustion engines, of the type comprising in the induction pipe, upstream of a main throttling member operated by the driver, an auxiliary throttling member which opens automatically and progressively as the rate of air flow in the said pipe increasesrmeans for injecting liquid fuel under pressure into that portion of the induction pipe downstream of the main throttling member; and a metering system adapted to respond to the position of the auxiliary throttling member and so to regulate the rate of flow of the fuel injected that the richness of the fuel-air mixture entering the induction pipe is substantially constant, at least for certain running conditions of the engine, the said injection means being in the form of a source of fuel under pressure of which the delivery circuit, leading into the said portion of the induction pipe, is controlled by at least one valve operated by an electromagnet.

The invention relates more particularly to those devices of this type in which the metering system comprises a flat, opaque disc adapted to be rotated continuously by the internal combustion engine about an axis perpendicular to its plane, which is placed between a light source and a photoelectric cell mounted on a common support connected to the auxiliary throttling member and contains at least one port adapted to admit the beam from the light source to the photoelectric cell, which cell is adapted to cause energization of the electromagnet, depending (more particularly the shape of the port and the rate of displacement of the support) on whether or not it is illuminated, the assembly as a whole being such that the electromagnet is energized during a fraction of each revolution of the disc which varies in the same direction as the degree of opening of the auxiliary throttling member.

It is desirable that the rate of flow of fuel to the engine should be reduced, possibly to zero, during deceleration in order to prevent atmospheric pollution due to the exhaust gases. The combustion chambers should not, during deceleration, be supplied with hydrocarbons which, due to the excessively small quantity of air drawn in with each suction stroke, cannot burn in these chambers and therefore appear in the exhaust almost wholly in the form of free hydrocarbons. In view of the fact that deceleration conditions differ from idling conditions in that the engine speed is above a given level, for example, 1,200 revolutions per minute, the applicants proposed that the cylindrical wall of a bell-like rotary member, equivalent to the above-mentioned flat disc, should bear a screen movable by means of centrifugal force in order to mask the beam passing through the port in the said wall during deceleration.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple, reliable solution of the problem of reducing or even arresting the flow of fuel to the engine during periods of deceleration.

The feed device of the type described, which has a flat disc with a port arranged as indicated above, is characterized in that the or each port of this disc is associated with a lever mounted on the disc by means of a pivot substantially parallel to the pivot of the disc and biased by a return spring, the sites of the pivot and of the center of gravity of this lever, the shape of the latter and the force of the spring being so selected that, depending on whether the speed of the disc (and therefore of the engine) is above or below a given limit, the lever masks or exposes the portion of the port which, when the auxiliary throttling member is in the idling and deceleration positions, is swept by the light ray directed towards the photoelectric cell, so that the lever operates solely during deceleration periods in order to reduce or eliminate the total period of energization of the electromagnet and therefore the rate of fuel flow. I

The invention will in any case be clear from the following description relating to a preferred embodiment,

given purely by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, by means of a diagrammatic vertical section, a feed device embodying the invention, the components of this device being in the position for normal running;

FIG. 2 illustrates some components from FIG. 1 in the idling position, seen from the left in FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 shows some of the components from FIG. 2 in the deceleration position.

A fuel feed device for a vehicle engine or the like is constructed as follows or in a similar fashion.

As regards the device as a whole, it is constituted in any appropriate manner, in such a way that it com prises (FIG. 1): In the induction pipe 1, upstream of a main throttling member 2 operated by the driver, an auxiliary throttling member 3 which opens automatically and progressively as the rate of air flow in the said pipe 1 increases; means for injecting liquid fuel under pressure into that portion of the induction pipe 1 downstream of the main throttling member 2; and a metering system adapted to respond to the position of the auxiliary throttling member 3 and so to regulate the rate of flow of the fuel injected that the richness of the fuel-air mixture entering the induction pipe 1 is substantially constant, at least for certain running conditions of the engine.

In the embodiment illustrated, the auxiliary throttling member 3 is in the form of a butterfly valve fixed on a pivot 4. This butterfly valve is operated by a pneumatic device including a diaphragm 5 which separates two chambers 6, 7 from one another. The chamber 6 communicates with that portion of the pipe 1 between the main throttling member 2 and the butterfly valve 3. The pivot 4 is rigidly fixed to a lever 8 whose free end bears a pin 9 co-operating with the end of a rod 10 connected to the diaphragm 5. A spring 11 tends to close the butterfly valve 3, counteracting the influence of the reduced pressure transmitted in the chamber 6. The chamber 7 is connected to the atmosphere by a duct (not shown).

The angular position of the butterfly valve 3 within the pipe 1 at any time corresponds, of course, to the rate of air-flow in this pipe-The higher this rate of flow, the more the butterfly valve 3 opens, a substantially constant suction (or reduced pressure varying according to the characteristics of the spring 11) establishing itself between the two throttling members 2, 3.

Equivalent throttling members might be substituted for the butterfly valve 3.

The injection means mentioned are in the form of a source of fuel under pressure (not shown) of which the delivery circuit, which joins the pipe 1 (which, for claritys sake; has been shown in two places in FIG. 1) downstream of the main throttling member 2, is controlled by at least one valve 12 operated by an electromagnet 13.

The metering system comprises a flat, opaque disc 14 which is mounted on a shaft 15 connected to the internal combustion engine (not shown) in such a way that the disc is rotated continuously about an axis perpendicular to its plane. The disc 14 is placed between a light source 16 and a photoelectric cell 17 mounted on a common support 18 connected to the auxiliary throttling member 3 and contains at least one port 19 adapted to admit the beam from the light source 16 to the photoelectric cell 17. The cell 17 is adapted to cause energization of the electromagnet 13, depending on whether or not it is illuminated, the assembly as a whole being such that the electromagnet is energized during a fraction of each revolution of the disc 14 which varies in the same direction as the degree of opening of the auxiliary throttling member 3. 1

The light source 16 may be in the form of a lamp 16a which is adapted to be supplied by a battery 20 once the engine ignition switch 21 is on and which is housed in a hollow boss 22 containing a hole. This hole is so arranged that it directs a light beam onto the cell 17, through a hole 23 in a hollow boss 24 housing this cell.

In the embodiment illustrated, the bosses 22, 24 are mounted on the ends of the U-shaped support 18, which straddles the disc 14 so that the source 16 and cell 17 are on opposite sides of this disc, and which is rigidly fixed to the pivot 4, the latter being parallel to the shaft 15 and to the light beam received by the cell 17.

In order to make use of the currents produced in the cell 17, an amplifying relay 25 and possibly an intensity limiting-device 26 may be inserted between this cell and the electromagnet 13.

When the internal combustion engine has a plurality of cylinders, each supplied by a valve 12 operated by a separate electromagnet 13, a distributor 27 is provided, this distributor being synchronized with the disc 14 in order to supply the intermittent energizing current to the different electromagnets in succession, the disc having as many ports 19 as there are cylinders to be supplied. These ports are equispaced around the shaft 15, and each is shaped in such a way that the fraction of a revolution during which it normally permits illumination of the cell 17 increases as the throttling member opens, that is to say, (according to the embodiment illustrated), as the bosses 22, 24 come nearer to the shaft 15.

The feed device just described operates, of course, as follows. V

As the rate of air-flow in the pipe 1 increases, the throttling member 3 opens, moving the support 18 in the direction which brings the shaft 15 nearer the bosses 22, 24. Each of the positions of these bosses corresponds to a different radius of the disc 14. Since the shape of each port 19 has been selected so that the fraction of a revolution during which it admits the light ray from the source 16 to the cell 17 (a current being produced in the lead 28) increases according as the latter elements approach the shaft 15, the rate at which fuel is supplied by each injection valve 12 will necessarily vary in the same direction as the rate of air-flow in the pipe 1.

As a result, in accordance with the invention, each port 19 is associated with a lever 29 mounted on the disc 14 by means of a pivot 30 substantially parallel to the shaft 15 and biased by a return spring 31, the sites of the pivot 30 and of the center of gravity G (see FIG. 2) of this lever 29, the shape of the latter and the force of the spring 31 being so selected that, depending on whether the speed of the disc 14 is above or below a given limit, the lever 29 masks or exposes the portion A (see FIG. 3) of the port 19 which, when the throttling member 3 is not far open, is swept by the light ray directed towards the photoelectric cell 7.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, each lever 29 is inthe form of a portion of sheet-metal whose plane is parallel to that of the disc 14 and which is placed against the latter (as shown in FIG. 1), this portion of sheet-metal being stamped out in such a way that the center of gravity G of the lever and a masking nose 32 on this lever are on opposite sides of the pivot 30 of the lever. The pivot 30 is generally rivetted onto the disc 14. The spring 31 may be in the form of a resilient leaf (or wire) anchored to each lever 29 on the side remote from its masking nose 32 and bearing on a projection or pin 33 also rivetted onto the disc 14. The movements of the lever 29 due to centrifugal force, that is to say, in the direction corresponding to arrival of the nose 32 at portion A of the port 19, are limited by an abutment 34 attached to the disc 14.

The resulting fuel feed device operates as follows during deceleration.

If, when the engine speed is high, the driver releases the accelerator connected to the throttling member 2, the auxiliary throttling member 3 takes up the idling position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, as do the support 18, light source 16 and cell 17. Due to the high speed of the engine and of the disc 14 driven by the engine, the noses 32 on the levers 29 are brought by centrifugal force to bear on the abutrnents 34, so that they mask the portions A of the ports 19 (FIG. 3). As a result, the cell 17 is no longer actuated, and the or each valve 12 remains closed. The injection of fuel ceases, stopping atmospheric pollution due to the exhaust gases, until the speed of the disc 14 falls to a given level slightly greater than the speed corresponding to idling of the engine.

At this moment, the effect of centrifugal force is overcome by the force of the springs 31, causing the levers 29 to occupy the positions shown in FIG. 2. The nose 32 on each lever therefore exposes the portion A of its port 19 and moves outside this port, covering the strip of material between the outer end (in the radial direction) of the port and the periphery of the disc 14. The cell 17 is actuated again as described above, and the or each valve 12 opens under normal idling conditions.

The chief advantages of the invention are that the device is more compact (as may be seen from FIG. 1) and that it is economical and reliable in construction.

Obviously, and as is clear from the above, the invention is by no means restricted to that application of it or to those embodiments of its various components which have been more particularly described. On the contrary, it includes all variants of them, more particularly variants in which the number of ports 19 is different from that (four) illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, since, depending on the design and the type of engine, from two to eight cylinders, this number may vary considerably.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with an internal combustion engine, a fuel feed device comprising in combination, in the induction pipe of the engine a main throttling member actuated by the driver; upstream of said main throttling member an auxiliary throttling member which opens automatically and progressively as the rate of air flow in the said pipe increases; injection means for injecting liquid fuel under pressure into that portion of the induction pipe downstream of the main throttling member; and a metering system adapted to respond to the position of the auxiliary throttling member and so to regulate the rate of flow of the fuel injected that the richness of the fuel-air mixture entering the induction pipe is substantially constant, at least for certain running conditions of the engine, said injection means being in the form of a source of fuel under pressure whose delivery circuit, leading into the said portion of the induction pipe, is controlled by at least one valve operated by an electromagnet, the metering system comprising a flat, opaque disc adapted to berotated continuously by the internal combustion engine about a shaft perpendicular to its plane, said disc being placed between a radiation source and a radiation detector, a support connected to and displaceable by the auxiliary throttling member and bearing both said radiation source and said radiation detector; said disc containing at least one port adapted to admit the beam from the radiation source to the radiation detector; said detector being adapted to cause energization of the electromagnet, depending on whether or not it is irradiated, the assembly as a whole (more particularly the shape of the port and the rate of displacement of the support) being such that the electromagnet is energized during a fraction of each revolution of the disc which fraction varies in the same direction as the degree of opening of the auxiliary throttling member, a lever associated with each said port of said disc and mounted on the disc by means of a pivot substantially parallel to said shaft of the disc, a return spring arranged to bias said lever, the sites of the pivot and of the center of gravity of said lever, the shape of the lever and the force of the spring being so selected that, depending on whether the speed of the disc (and therefore of the engine) is above or below a given limit, the lever masks or exposes a portion of said port which, when the auxiliary throttling member is in the idling and deceleration positions, is swept by the radiation from said source directed towards the radiation detector, so that the lever comes into operation solely during deceleration periods to reduce or eliminate the total period of energization of the electromagnet and consequently the flow of fuel.

2. A fuel feed device according to claim 1, wherein each said lever has a nose arranged to effect said masking and is in the form of a portion of sheet-metal whose lane 's allel t that of the disc and laced theregainsi, 53h portibn of sheet-metal bei g so shaped that the center of gravity of the lever and said masking nose thereon are on opposite sides of said pivot.

3. A feed device according to claim 2, wherein said spring is in the form of a resilient strand anchored to each lever on the side remote from its pin being clinched on the disc, said spring bearing on said pin.

4. A feed device according to claim 1, wherein the number of said ports is from 2 to 8.

masking nose, at 

1. For use with an internal combustion engine, a fuel feed device comprising in combination, in the induction pipe of the engine a main throttling member actuated by the driver; upstream of said main throttling member an auxiliary throttling member which opens automatically and progressively as the rate of air flow in the said pipe increases; injection means for injecting liquid fuel under pressure into that portion of the induction pipe downstream of the maiN throttling member; and a metering system adapted to respond to the position of the auxiliary throttling member and so to regulate the rate of flow of the fuel injected that the richness of the fuel-air mixture entering the induction pipe is substantially constant, at least for certain running conditions of the engine, said injection means being in the form of a source of fuel under pressure whose delivery circuit, leading into the said portion of the induction pipe, is controlled by at least one valve operated by an electromagnet, the metering system comprising a flat, opaque disc adapted to be rotated continuously by the internal combustion engine about a shaft perpendicular to its plane, said disc being placed between a radiation source and a radiation detector, a support connected to and displaceable by the auxiliary throttling member and bearing both said radiation source and said radiation detector; said disc containing at least one port adapted to admit the beam from the radiation source to the radiation detector; said detector being adapted to cause energization of the electromagnet, depending on whether or not it is irradiated, the assembly as a whole (more particularly the shape of the port and the rate of displacement of the support) being such that the electromagnet is energized during a fraction of each revolution of the disc which fraction varies in the same direction as the degree of opening of the auxiliary throttling member, a lever associated with each said port of said disc and mounted on the disc by means of a pivot substantially parallel to said shaft of the disc, a return spring arranged to bias said lever, the sites of the pivot and of the center of gravity of said lever, the shape of the lever and the force of the spring being so selected that, depending on whether the speed of the disc (and therefore of the engine) is above or below a given limit, the lever masks or exposes a portion of said port which, when the auxiliary throttling member is in the idling and deceleration positions, is swept by the radiation from said source directed towards the radiation detector, so that the lever comes into operation solely during deceleration periods to reduce or eliminate the total period of energization of the electromagnet and consequently the flow of fuel.
 2. A fuel feed device according to claim 1, wherein each said lever has a nose arranged to effect said masking and is in the form of a portion of sheet-metal whose plane is parallel to that of the disc and placed there-against, said portion of sheet-metal being so shaped that the center of gravity of the lever and said masking nose thereon are on opposite sides of said pivot.
 3. A feed device according to claim 2, wherein said spring is in the form of a resilient strand anchored to each lever on the side remote from its masking nose, a pin being clinched on the disc, said spring bearing on said pin.
 4. A feed device according to claim 1, wherein the number of said ports is from 2 to
 8. 